His Wanderlist
by KenRik
Summary: RyoSaku AU. Sakuno is put off by the abrasive new tenant of their family's bed and breakfast, a well-traveled second-year Japanese-American exchange student from Stanford.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own the Prince of Tennis.

* * *

It was a dreary, dark afternoon. Grey clouds were scattered overhead. Walking on the sidewalks with recyclable tote bags filled with fresh groceries, the brunette frowned. The thought of the impending shower, unwelcome.

The young lady was making her way back home from the day's errands. Having been informed just a few nights prior of a new tenant to her and her grandmother's small - legitimate and legal - bed and breakfast busines, she had to scamper to and fro throughout the city. It was part of their dedication to quality service, to assure the ease and comfort of any guest's transition to the Tokyo lifestyle. She bought the new tenant a city pass, a mobile contract, and a complimentary three-day tourist past to go sight-seeing during the weekends. She refurbished the empty room, spread leaflets of the city and of his university in Tokyo.

From what her grandmother told her over the phone, the old woman was at some onsen in Osaka and will be back in a few days, the new tenant was the son of a family friend hailing from LA, California. Although the young man was of Japanese decent, he was an American through and through. He knew little to no Japanese and had taken a yearlong exchange in his second year of university to connect with his roots. The request came in last minute, and he was lucky they had a spare room.

The young man was an avid traveler who's been to far many countries for her to understand. He spent two years of high school in London and had the whole of Europe to his disposal. He spent a year in Singapore with his father, serving as a gateway to the whole of Southeast Asia. Latin America was his next target, she was assuming. Honestly, Sakuno was both scared and ecstatic to meet this new tenant. After all, he was staying a year. What stories he must have, she thought in excitement.

With a small smile on her face, the doe-eyed brunette made her way up four flights of stairs to their apartment complex. The image of a carefree young student brought a lightness to her feet, finding his free-spirited nature infective. Making a turn to her block, her light disposition took an abrupt stop. The slouched figure by her door surprised her. As she approached the man dozing off by her door, his face covered by a white baseball cap, she frowned unsurely, not knowing what to make of him. By his side was a duffle bag and, she had to bend down to peer into what looked to be a pet cage - a feline with piercing golden orbs met her cautious doe eyes, a cat.

Skeptical hazel eyes looked over the sleeping man. He couldn't possibly be the new tenant, she thought. Her new tenant was staying a year, not a week. Also, he looked younger than the man she was expecting. It was in this instant, with her dipping sideways, brows raised in befuddlement, that a light breath escaped the sleeping man's lips. Doe eyes widened as the man looked up, cat-like, hazel eyes meeting hers.

"Took you long enough."

* * *

.

His Wanderlist

Prologue

.

* * *

Ryoma got up from his seat, standing a foot taller than Sakuno. The girl, taken aback, took a step away, uncomfortable by their proximity.

"You're the granddaughter, right?" Sakuno's brows creased, rather offended by the visibly irritated look on the young man's face. All hopes of meeting an agreeable university student were flung over the balcony. "The old hag's granddaughter?"

With a frown, Sakuno replied.

"Yes, Ryuzaki Sakuno-san." She introduced herself, bowing hesitantly. "And you are?"

He rolled his eyes. And her expression palpably soured.

"If you don't already know, then your security measures are obviously lacking, if not completely absent." He said, picking up his duffle bag. "Ryoma Echizen." He held out his hand. "I'm renting for the time being."

"Renting?" Sakuno had to ask, taking his hand for a shake. "You booked to stay for the year."

Ryoma looked around, not impressed. And yet again, Sakuno took offense. This man, she thought, was too self-entitled. Had she no decency, she would have already kicked his shin.

"Something came up." He lied, eyes settling at her irked ones.

"All right." She kept herself from biting. Pulling her keys out of her bag, she turned to unlock the door. "I'll show you to your room." She glanced back to check if Ryoma followed behind her. "I'm sure you're weary from your trip."

A scoff from behind made her cringe. Thankfully, she had her back to his arrogant – but handsome – but conceited person.

On their way to his room, they passed by the common room, a cozy and quaint arrangement of personalized, colorful throw pillows, dark wood floorboards, a television set, a bar between the dining and kitchen room.

Not bad, Ryoma noted. Glancing around, his eyes strayed at the family pictures to the side, of his host, he gathered. Arriving at his room, one opened by Sakuno, he was met with two bunk beds fit into a single size bedroom, two makeshift clothes cabin, and a single long table to one side. There were also empty shelves overhead.

"I hope you don't mind." Sakuno's good-natured disposition returned. "You'll have the room to yourself, but admittedly, it's rather cramped."

"Why don't you put down the other bunk?"

Sakuno turned to the wooden structure in front of them. Then, turning, met Ryoma's Cheshire eyes. She merely raised her scrawny arms for her tenant to understand. The handsome young man only shook his head and placed his belongings to the side. He released Karupin before assessing the build of the wooden bunk bed. Finding the clasps to the edges, he unlocked the structure and dismantled the bunk bed piece by piece. The process was going smoothly when one of the pieces refused to budge. Sakuno offered to help but Ryoma declined. Instead, he climbed the side of the bed. And, simply pulling as hard as he could, slipped and fell on his back in a loud, resounding, and painful thud.

Groaning, he glared at the bed before he turned to look overhead. Cheshire eyes widened, finding doe eyes glittering with mirth looking down at him.

"I forgot to say," His hostess said, obviously keeping herself from laughing; a grin spread on her face. "Welcome to Bunkyo, Tokyo."

* * *

TBC?


	2. The Lavender Room

Disclaimer: I do not own the Prince of Tennis/Tennis no Ouji-sama.

* * *

.

His Wanderlist

Chapter One

.

* * *

There was an increasingly boisterous crowd forming around the university tennis courts that made Sakuno turn in curiosity. Her good friend, Sakamoto Haruki, a graduate student of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Tokyo, was showing her around the campus in hopes of her applying there in the coming fall. They were on route to the Faculty of Engineering when a couple of students nearly collided with them. Crying their apologies, the pair of students shot cusses against each other before running towards the tennis courts. Apparently, some great revelation was taking place, one which, likely enough, caught the interest of the two passersby.

Taking a quick detour, the couple had to push their way through enthralled university students screaming their lungs out. As they got closer, Sakuno could barely make out the two individuals playing against each other on the field. She had to tiptoe for a higher vantage point. Suddenly, Haruki took her hand and pulled her against him. Before she could push him away in disbelief, he pointed out to the unimpeded view.

Doe eyes widened, finally seeing who had caught everyone's attention.

"I know him." She whispers in disbelief. Turning to a surprised Haruki, she told him. "He's that arrogant guy who said he'd rent a room from my complex then left that same night." Her cheeks flush heatedly, a glare settling on her face as she looked back at the game. Oddly, amid the incessant cheering around her and the irritation she felt, she could well make out the sweet sound of his hits, to square center of his racket every time. And, she would know this as her grandmother was a well-sought out tennis coach, his form was impeccable. Before long, her initial contempt for him turned into admiration. The crying of the crowd was apt. His playing was graceful, immaculate even.

She would soon ask that they stay until the game ended, but, seeing the mesmerized eyes of Haruki, smiled; thinking she needn't bother to ask.

Before long, she is clasping her hands worriedly over her chest, eyes darting to and fro the ends of the courts. Every dive earned a swoon from the crowd. Every point, a triumphant cry. He was at an advantage now and his opponent seemed close to his limit. A red face, nearly out of breath glared all the way from the other end of court to the newcomer haughtily smirking at him. Then, when the latter scans the crowd, sweat dripping on the sides of his face, she thinks his cat-like eyes flicker to hers in recognition. And, she freezes. Beside her, the girls swoon and their cheers intesify.

Sakuno takes a step back into the crowd, wanting nothing more but to blend into the crowd. And in the court, Ryoma makes his winning shot. By the end of his game, the brunette managed to slip away to the bridge passing through the koi pond; waiting for the crowd to disperse. When the throng of students/passersby waned, she found her tour guide, Haruki, tucked hidden inside of the remaining group of fans; right beside the wonder boy himself, Echizen Ryoma.

'What is he doing?' Her mind rang in alarm. Then, before she knew it, Haruki put an arm over Ryoma's shoulder, raised a hand, and pointed to her. From afar, her wide doe eyes locked gazes with surprised sharp, Cheshire ones. The flush on her cheeks deepened. And her palms started to sweat in anxiety as her friend waved for her to come over. The cold, stoic expression on Ryoma's face; the same one she laughed at not long ago, was more than simply uninviting. Pursing her lips in unease, her hazel eyes flicker to her side. And, instead of going over to them, Sakuno stubbornly gestures for Haruki to come to her.

"You said you knew him." The young man chastised Sakuno after apologizing to Ryoma for the misunderstanding. "Apparently, he's a transfer student from Stanford. Can you believe he's been winning competitions while maintaining his place on the honor roll?"

Sakuno grimaced. Of course he was, she thought rather spitefully.

Later that day, after a grueling and uninspired tour led by a crestfallen Haruki, Sakuno was glad to be home. There was a time when she considered applying for university. She had the grades for it. But, after their financial red flag of 2014, staying to help her grandmother with their family business proved to be the right choice. To the girl, there was nothing more fulfilling than cultivating your own. Had she taken a degree, she'd surely end up as a corporate drone. The freedom granted to those running one's own business was comparable to none.

So, dropping her purse to the side, kicking off her sneakers, she fell on the sofa in the living room and let out a thankful sigh.

There would be no place she'd rather be than at home.

Arms folding over a throw pillow, braided auburn hair astray, she grinned, as she sunk deeper; snug, into the sofa. Then, shifting over to her side, scanned the room, satisfied with its cleanliness. The room was lit by natural lighting from the glass wall, it's drapes parted. The kitchen she left clean was still spotless. The vases on the bar dividing the living room from the dining room had just been filled with fresh new tulips. And, eyes scanning the area, noted that on the small dining table was – instantaneously, her hazel eyes widen, meeting an equally astonished pair of cat-like eyes.

Her brain went haywire. Her throat locked. And her eyes stung in utter bewilderment.

Then, when the familiar cat-like eyes tore from her gaze to her hiked up skirt and her exposed upper thighs, she shot up in an indignant cry and glared at Ryoma to kingdom come.

"What do you think you're doing?!" She screamed at the harmless university student innocently eating his cereal.

"Calm down, will you?"

"Calm down?" Sakuno leapt to her feet. Her face burned velvet with rage and embarrassment. "How can I calm down when there's an intruder in my home?!"

"I'm no intruder." Ryoma bit at her. "You checked me in yourself at the Lavender room."

"You moved out! You brought your things! What little of them you had, you took them and vacated days ago!"

Ryoma tried not to laugh at her red face.

"If I had moved out, would I still have my keys?"

"Still!" Sakuno cried, quickly losing her wits. "You— Earlier today— You acted like you didn't know me!"

"So did you." The handsome young man coolly rebutted.

The girl's glare only narrowed. "Get out."

Ryoma only laughed and continued to eat his meal. Even as the girl stomped towards him, he was unmoved.

"You're basically squatting."

"I've wired you four months' rent." Sakuno's mouth suddenly hung agape. "We'll see where I stand four months from now."

"My grandmother won't stand for this."

Ryoma rolled his eyes.

"She's the one who wanted me here."

Sakuno's eye twitched.

"No one wants you here."

"Why don't you just admit that it's you, specifically, who doesn't want me around." Ryoma told her, surprisingly indifferently. "We better name it now and get it over with than you going on and on while I try to finish my meal." Then, he looks up and meets her trembling gaze. "Tell me - it's _you_ who wants me to move out."

"I- I-" Sakuno stuttered. "I think it would be for the best-"

Then, Ryoma scoffs and simply scoops another tablespoonful of cereal. "Though luck."

Sakuno couldn't believe her ears. Outraged and indignant, she knew she could say nothing more, do nothing more to get a rise out of the nonchalant young man gingerly having his way all over her home. So, Sakuno just glared at him and stomped across the living room to her bedroom, practically throwing a tantrum for the first time in her adult life. Slamming the door behind her, she fell against the wall and buried her flushed face in her hands, dread and confusion filling her gut.

What did she just do? She groaned to herself in dismay as she sunk to her knees, her screams from earlier continued to echo in her ears like a faulty recording. Nothing less than ashamed, the brunette couldn't even begin to understand her sudden outburst.

When she crept out of her room later than evening to prepare for dinner, Ryoma was still in the living room. And, he didn't even bat an eye at her, not even to tease her for her immature tantrum. He simply read a book while she quietly browsed through her pots and pans. Somehow, the girl thought bitterly, his aloofness made her even more embarrassed for her unwarranted display earlier. It was unfair how he could act so cool and handsome while she - some gaudy, troll.

That night, there were five of them sharing dinner. And much to Sakuno's dismay, Ryoma seemed to have been acquainted with the others without her knowledge. She couldn't help but watch him incredulously as he made conversation with one of her tenants, a visiting professor from France. Completely lost to the young man's maneuvers, the girl resigned to just accept things as is. And, gradually forgetting her initial contempt for the young man, eventually joined in on their conversation.

After dinner, as she was clearing up, she noticed Ryoma had a larger appetite than the rest of them. So, as an indiscriminate show of apology, she decided to cook more food whenever he was around to join their meals. And, idly, she thought that may be, she should actively try being friends with him. The bed and breakfast was her life. So, she might as well make their shared home a warm one.

Sakuno lightly knocked on his bedroom door before she would repose for the day. On her hands were a couple of fresh batteries.

"Come in." Came a smooth voice from the other side of the door.

Turning the knob, Sakuno was surprised to see an untouched room, verifying the reason for her confusion about the status of his current lodgings. Ryoma was simply taking a seat by the desk, his laptop open in front of him.

"I brought spare batteries for your light." She said, placing the said items to the corner. Then, lingering, told him. "You should unpack or I might think you've moved out again." She joked. Ryoma only turned to her with an unamused expression.

"If you haven't noticed, I hardly have anything to unpack."

Sakuno's lips twitched.

"Maybe you should buy more things then."

"Hn."

Realizing she would never get through to him, lest understand him, the girl shook her head, resigned to leave him to his business. And, as she walked back to her room, passing through the long moonlit corridor, she couldn't help but think Ryoma an enigma. Tomorrow, she wondered whether she'd know more about him. Or if this was it - simply sharing a common space with a man who can never plant his feet anywhere long enough to leave a mark.

* * *

To be continued.

* * *

A/N: Ideas would be much appreciated. I thought like making it a drama where Sakuno and Ryoma met before and were super close but she got into an accident and forgot all about it - but that's too bothersome and not my style. So, yeah, ideas would be much appreciated. Like characters you'd want to see, circumstances you want to happen, places you want them to visit, idk. :x

Thanks for reading!


	3. The not Pink Room

Disclaimer: I do not own PoT.

* * *

It wasn't that she was counting. But, it has been nearly three weeks since she last spoke to Ryoma. He didn't like her, she figured; hence, the unconscious act of avoidance. All the same - the feeling was mutual, Sakuno thought as she chopped a potato in half, her kitchen knife thumping down on her wooden chopping board with a blunt thud.

It was a shame, she frowned, how attractive people were such snobs.

"You should be kinder to him." Her grandmother had told her just the other night. Repulsed by the idea, Sakuno's face soured; turning to frown at the old woman. The latter only laughed at her reaction.

"Why should I?" Sakuno had mumbled under her breath, wholly forgetting there was a full table of tenants eating dinner with them.

"Because he's a good kid." Sumire laughed, much to Sakuno's chagrin. Then, doing the unimaginable, turns to the lot of people next to them and calls out, "Aren't you, Ryoma?"

Sakuno's face pales in an instant. And Ryoma's brows knot, looking up at them. "What?"

"I was just telling Sakuno that you're one of the good ones."

A smirk forms on the young man's lips. And, his gaze turning to Sakuno, coy, amused, nods along and says as a matter of fact, "I am."

* * *

.

His Wanderlist

The not Pink Room

.

* * *

"This is the guy?" Sakuno turned to look to her side, to see what picture Tomoka was at in the feed of her Instagram account. "That dude from America?"

The doe-eyed brunette nodded, brows scrunching, not knowing where her friend was leading to.

"And he's been living with you for a month now." Tomoka arched a brow at her.

"Hm." Sakuno hummed in passing interest, flipping to the next page of her book.

The pair was in one of those quaint, rustic cafe franchises. Both their cups of coffee were emptied, leaving those dried up residue of coffee beans at the bottom of the glass. Between the two of them, they shared a cheesecake, now half-eaten. Chill jazz music, mixed with the light beat of hip hop, filled the room. And the warmth of the ambiance, of the establishment, was a stark contrast to the grey, dull outside where light rain fell from the sky.

The brunette trying to focus on the novel in front of her suddenly sighed. With a frown, she turned to her friend who, as she expected, was glaring at her.

"You should date him!" Tomoka blurted quickly enough.

Sakuno pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. Mustering all the loathing she's accumulated over the young man, she hissed a very hateful - "Never."

"You've always been a snob." Tomoka chided her, waving about the girl's phone with the picture of Ryoma Echizen on display. She wasn't having any of it. "He's smart. He's rich. He's perfect!"

"Rich?" Sakuno's brow rose. "We don't know if he's rich."

"He studies in Stanford. Of course, he's rich."

"He might've gotten in through a scholarship." The auburn-haired girl with the doe-eyes shrugged.

"TomaTO toMAto." Tomoka simply waved off. Then, her expression turning all cheeky, challenged her friend. "You know how we could settle this-?" Sakuno only scrunched her brows. Then, before the latter could speak to her defense, the feistier of the two added, hinting, suggesting, "You date him. Then, ask him if he's super rich!"

Sakuno was far from amused. "If you think he's that great, why don't you ask him out yourself."

It was Tomoka's turn to look offended. "Absolutely not!" She pouted. "Have you forgotten that Kaidoh-senpai exists?"

Sakuno starts to laugh.

"I mean - there may not yet be a Tomoka and Kaidoh-senpai, but there certainly will be - soon!"

"Hai, hai." Sakuno smiles amid herself and flips to the next page.

"Oh, heavens," Tomoka suddenly says, back to scrolling down Sakuno's feed. "I take back what I said. We hate him now." She flashed her friend a picture of Ryoma and some girl in a club. The two were glued together on the couch they were on, the girl grinning up into the camera and Ryoma, sorely failing to match the former's enthusiasm.

Sakuno only give's an "I told you so." look at Tomo.

The latter stubbornly huffs and sinks down her seat. "Yeah, you shouldn't date him. He looks like a player."

At this, Sakuno couldn't agree more.

"I forbid you to date him, do you understand me, Sak?" Tomoka mumbled, going a step further with less interest as she continued to scroll down Sakuno's feed; then randomly laughing at a comical Shiba Inu meme face.

Sakuno only laughed with her friend, returning to her book. Thinking in passing, she knew what attraction was - and she was certain, she's never met anyone who has repulsed her more than the stoic incomprehensible tenant of hers. Over a month in, and she hardly knew the man. And it was likely she never will.

.

When Sakuno returns home, she is surprised to see a guest in the living room. Passing by, she nods in greeting. "Did you need anything?"

The dolled-up lady only shakes her head and smiles back. "Iie. I'm just waiting for Ryoma."

Doe eyes widen, placing the girl - the same one she just saw on her feed, the same one very much acquainted with Ryoma Echizen. "Oh." Sakuno mouths. Then, nodding, continues to her bedroom. Closing the door behind her, she flips on her light switch and sets down her bag on her desk. The thought of Ryoma bringing his paramour to their shared home struck her as odd. He didn't seem like the homely type to cuddle and introduce his hubby to his friends and family.

But then again, she pursed her lips thoughtfully, she didn't really know the guy. To each their own, she supposed. In the same instance, she drew her curtains aside and almost misses the full head of hair sticking out her view. The young man outside her window, the same one she was just thinking of, was sitting on the fire escape right outside her room.

It takes her a second - and another - of blinking, of knitting her brows, of trying to make sense of the image before her - before Ryoma, in all his glory, turns to her with nothing less than his stoic, removed expression. He then stands and looks at her as if she was the odd one. Then, he motions for her to open the window, the sound of his light knock bringing Sakuno back to Earth.

"Wha-wha-what are you doing out there?" The flustered brunette manages to blurt out in a stutter as she slid her window open.

Ryoma looked around before telling her, shrugging as if nothing was the matter, "I thought I could get in through the fire escape."

This clarified absolutely nothing. With Sakuno's brows furrowed deep in utter, unbelievable confusion, she asks again - " _What_?"

Ryoma scowled at Sakuno, irked by her unending litany of whats, "I'm just avoiding the trainwreck in the living room."

It took a second before Sakuno put the pieces together - and nearly cries, "Are you insane?" Then adds to make sure the point went across, "Do you have no idea how dangerous it is out there?!"

"It's not my fault the fire escape leads to your room." He snarls at her. "What took you so long anyway?" He blames the girl, climbing into her room - not at all minding the indignant cry of protest from his host.

"You can't come into my room!" Her face was all red.

"So, this is your room." The young man comments instead, eyes surveying the immediate vicinity - much to Sakuno's horror. Then, Ryoma says flatly, as if the most groundbreaking piece of information exchanged between them. "It's not pink."

Sakuno's eye twitched at the implication. "You thought I had a pink room?" She asks with a shrill voice.

Ryoma shrugged, turning to her with furrowed brows.

"Girls don't all have pink rooms." Sakuno pointed out heatedly, far from amused, hands crossed on her chest.

"I know that." The young man clarified. A pause followed, deliberating if he should continue - which, after a split-second, he did, "I thought _you_ had a pink room."

Sakuno couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Why would you thing that?!" She demanded, the humiliated flush on her face reaching her ears and chest.

"You seem like the type." He just replies. And which causes Sakuno more offense.

"What _type_?"

Ryoma scratched his head, thoroughly annoyed by her, by his situation. "I don't know." Then mumbles. "I take it back."

Sakuno's glare could heat up the earth. "You can't _just_ take back what you say." She snaps. "Why were you out there anyway?!"

Letting out a heated sigh, Ryoma repeats himself. "I was hiding out." Sakuno tapped her foot impatiently. And Ryoma rolled his eyes. "The girl outside has been stalking me for ages."

And like that, the anger washed from Sakuno's face. Such an obvious contrast nearly made Ryoma laugh at her. She was like a cartoon. "What?" She utters, her eyes wide with concern. "You should report it to the authorities." Then remembers, "I gave you their number."

Ryoma shakes his head. "You don't understand." He scratches his head again, not really knowing how best to explain the situation to Sakuno. "She's not a stalker in _that_ sense."

Sakuno starts to grow suspicious by his choice of words. "How can someone be a stalker in some _other_ sense?"

"Well," Ryoma released another breath. "If you must know," Sakuno was clinging to his every word. "We went out a few times." The worry on Sakuno's face instantly dissipates. "And now, she won't leave me alone." And her anger from earlier returned in full force.

"What is wrong with you?!" She cries to the palm of her hands in utter and absolute frustration. "You've been leading her on? Is that it?!"

"I didn't!" It was Ryoma's turn to grow red.

"Well - how else do you explain this -" Sakuno heatedly points to the wall, and by extension, the living room where Ryoma's unassuming _stalker_ sat waiting for him. "You obviously led her on!"

"I already told you -" Ryoma's voice rose. "I didn't! I told her this is what it is. She said she was all right with it. And now - she's been following me around!"

"And you want my support?!"

"No!" Ryoma groaned. "I don't!"

"Because this is absolutely unforgivable! You don't go do things with other people you don't see a future with!"

"Yeah, well, what do you know?" Ryoma shot back at her. "You do nothing but go home to your grandmother."

At this, Sakuno suddenly froze, taking a step back. And with her voice light, dangerous, she asked, "What is that supposed to mean?"

It takes Ryoma a second to realize what he said, and remorse washes his face. "I-"

"Get out." Sakuno opens her door for him.

"I didn't mean it that way -"

"What else is it supposed to mean?" Sakuno challenges him, her voice soft, quiet, deadly. "Just please get out."

Ryoma could do no more than comply. And, when Sakuno shuts the door behind him with a loud, angry thud, done so knowingly that such would alert Ryoma's fan to his bare presence. The young man turned to the living room where he, well enough, finds his stalker. The uninvited young woman, the same who Ryoma branded as a stalker, the same one who waited for him for hours, flashes him a wide and toothy smile, her face radiating with utter happiness at the sight of him.

It was in this instance that the young man couldn't help but wonder how he could spark such contrasting emotions between two people. How is it that this one was so, irrevocably, over the moon in love with him; while the other absolutely despised him. How could he be so admired by one person and loathed by another.

Typically, women fawned over him. He thought, glaring at the closed door behind him. Since he met Sakuno, he knew this wasn't the case.

* * *

to be continued.


End file.
